When it comes to the Hank Steinbrecher Cup, Flint Cityn Bucks know how to win the tournament. The Cup happened over the weekend, with 4 champions competing for this year’s edition of the Cup. The yearly competition is an all-champions tournament that began in 2013. Named after Hank Steinbrecher, a National Soccer Hall of Fame member and a former Secretary General of the USSF, the Steinbrecher Cup brings together the reigning National Amateur Cup champion, the NPSL champion, the USL Two champion, and the previous year’s Steinbrecher champion over a quick weekend.

The semifinals took place on Friday, when Flint City, who hosted the tournament, took on Houston Regals, who qualified for the Cup by winning the USSSA National Champions League Cup. Throughout the match, Flint City controlled the run of play, almost doubling the shots of the visiting team, but neither team managed to score through the run of play. Penalty kicks would settle this match, with Flint City getting the win, 4-2.

The other semifinal match featured NPSL Champion Denton Diablos taking on National Amateur Cup champion, Lansdowne Yonkers. After a 1-1 first half, Denton forward Sebastian Mendez would add two more goals to his first half opener to complete his hat-trick and cement a 4-1 win over the powerful east coast Lansdowne. Brayan Padilla would score the other goal for the Texas side.

The Cup Final, which took place on Sunday afternoon, kicked off with both sides getting chances, but neither converting opportunities. After the first half finished level 0-0, Flint City would open the scoring when a free kick by Nico Clasen’s rebounded off the bar and Jannik Videbaek converted for the score. Flint City would score a second soon after, when Daniel Hernandez headed home the game-winner. Brayan Padilla would convert a PK for his second goal of the 2022 Hank Steinbrecher Cup, resulting in the final score 2-1.

Damon Gochneaur the outspoken co-owner of the Diablos was effusive in his praise of both clubs after the match. “I am unbelievably proud of my team for the way they played and their continued on field success. To finish as a finalist in a true tournament of champions is a tremendous accomplishment for a club who has only completed two league seasons. These are the moments that you learn and grow from, and we will do exactly that as we now immediately shift our focus to securing the honor and privilege of competing in it again. Congratulations to a very well organized and talented Flint City Organization, their on field success is absolutely something we seek to emulate.”

This is the first year the Hank Steinbrecher Cup has been held since the pandemic began in 2020. That didn’t stop Flint City from continuing its impressive run of winning, this year being the 4th consecutive Cup for the club. Dan Duggan, Bucks CEO, talked about the run of his club. “For our club, winning the Hank Steinbrecher Cup representing the top amateur team in the country from all leagues is very important. We stress the importance of winning national championships from the time we recruit players to come here. And now with US Soccer excluding us from US Open Cup by playing the first three rounds before our college players are eligible (May 1), we put even more emphasis on a national title such as the Steinbrecher Cup.”

Does Dan expect his club to be back next year in the Final? “Absolutely! We figured this out many years ago that the format of the tournament can (and will) change. We learned that with the US Open Cup rule changes. So we know that as long as we are the defending champions, we cannot be displaced from this event! We are proud to be the four time defending champions and this year's team has already laid the groundwork for next year's team by winning and qualifying.”

- Dan Vaughn